The present invention relates generally to circuitry for igniting detonators and more particularly, to such circuitry which directs capacitance stored energy to an exploding-bridge-wire detonator in response to a trigger signal.
Detonators of the exploding-bridge-wire type are ignited by directing electric energy therethrough. Circuitry for directing this energy to such detonators is well known in the art, as evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,268 which issued on Jun. 19, 1990 to Don M. Levin. With such circuitry, detonator ignition reliability increases as the energy voltage is increased. When, a gate controlled electronic switch is utilized in such circuitry for directing the energy to the detonator, the quality thereof must be enhanced as the energy voltage is increased. Of course, enhanced switch quality always means higher cost.